Business owners on Anastasia Island organize

A new merchant association of Anastasia Boulevard business and property owners is forming to ensure that they are not “slighted” by city planners — as decisions are made regarding the traffic along the bayfront, according to an announcement received by Historic City News today.

Bruce Maguire, one of the business owners along the Anastasia Boulevard corridor, told Historic City News editor Michael Gold this morning that over the past month, he has been successful in reaching property owners and merchants whose concerns have been piqued by recent actions of the City of St. Augustine Commission.

Maguire says that because of responses generated by his Association last month, many of the concerns voiced by business owners on the Island have been incorporated into the “Reconnecting the Castillo de San Marcos and the Bayfront” project by the Halback Design Group, as well as the three options which have survived the study.

Maguire has arranged for Jeremy Marquis and Fred Halback to make a presentation next week; specifically for the property and business owners along Anastasia Boulevard. Maguire is hoping that those participants concerned about the impact of the commission’s decisions on this project will become the activists of their Association in future decisions by the City.

After formation of the Association is complete, “We will push the City for improvements on our side of the bridge,” Maguire explained. “For too long Anastasia Island has been the ignored step-child of the City.”

Looking ahead to the 450th commemoration, “We need to push the City Commissioners and staff to improve and enhance the Anastasia Boulevard entrance corridor,” Maguire said; referring to a decision by the commission to purchase the car wash at King Street and Ponce de Leon Boulevard. “If they can find the money to buy the M&M Market in Lincolnville, they can find the money to improve our highway.”

Maguire believes it is possible that City Manager John Regan will accept the invitation to attend so that he can hear, first hand, the concerns held by the formative professional activist group. Maguire told Historic City News, “With luck, we might even get one or two of the City Commissioners.”

For more information about the Anastasia Island association, or, if you are a property or business owner along Anastasia Boulevard and would like to reserve a seat for next week’s meeting, contact Bruce Maguire at 904-669-3059.

Photo credits: © 2010 Historic City News staff photographer